russet
Americannoun
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yellowish brown, light brown, or reddish brown.
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a coarse reddish-brown or brownish homespun cloth formerly used for clothing.
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any of various apples that have a rough brownish skin and ripen in the autumn.
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a brownish, roughened area on fruit, resulting from diseases, insects, or spraying.
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finished leather that is not yet polished or colored.
adjective
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yellowish-brown, light-brown, or reddish-brown.
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made of russet.
noun
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brown with a yellowish or reddish tinge
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a rough homespun fabric, reddish-brown in colour, formerly in use for clothing
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( as modifier )
a russet coat
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any of various apples with rough brownish-red skins
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abnormal roughness on fruit, caused by parasites, pesticides, or frost
adjective
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(of tanned hide leather) dressed ready for staining
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archaic simple; homely; rustic
a russet life
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of the colour russet
russet hair
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of russet
1225–75; Middle English < Old French rousset, diminutive of rous reddish brown, red (of hair); see roux
Explanation
Use the word russet to describe things that are a reddish-brown color, like autumn leaves or your cousin's pretty auburn hair. The adjective russet is great for talking about a particular color — in fact, the most common kind of Idaho potato is the Russet Burbank potato, named for its russet-colored skin. In apples, the word russet doesn't apply to color, but instead to a roughness in the skin. Another meaning of russet is a cheap, rough blanket worn in the Middle Ages by poor people. The root is the Latin word for "red," russus.
Vocabulary lists containing russet
Brown
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"After Apple-Picking" by Robert Frost
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
But for some, the true treat will turn out to be the classic oval or oblong-shaped russet spud, good for baking, frying or just plain admiring.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2025
Continued warm weather meant autumn came late this year, but it brought an explosion of colour with some spectacular displays ranging from gold through to russet red, like here on the Wallington Estate in Northumberland.
From BBC ● Dec. 26, 2024
Classic Jewish latkes for Hanukkah are made with russet potatoes, occasionally Yukon golds, and are usually very simply seasoned with salt, pepper and onion.
From Washington Times ● Dec. 4, 2023
The latter are russet potatoes, scored, baked and fried crispy, and served with bravas sauce and garlic aioli.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 24, 2023
Tristran looked at the crimson and canary and russet cloth, at clothes which looked more like the costumes of traveling players or the contents of his cousin Joan's charades chest, and said, "My clothes?"
From "Stardust" by Neil Gaiman
One nice thing about using sweet potatoes instead of the more traditional russets: They contain much less water, so you don’t have to squeeze them dry.
From Washington Times ● Dec. 4, 2023
This is for a couple of reasons - they have less natural starch than russets, and the starch is what helps them get crispy.
From Washington Times ● Dec. 4, 2023
Most mornings on the job, I was tasked with peeling pounds and pounds of russets for creamy potatoes.
From Salon ● Jan. 9, 2022
LaPorta cuts russets into a cold brine, where the potatoes soak overnight.
From Washington Post ● Jul. 23, 2020
Hildy and Prentisstown and russets and sheep and settlers and leaky pipe and Hildy.
From "The Knife of Never Letting Go" by Patrick Ness
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
